Thread-reinforcing mechanism for knitting-machines.



A. N. AMES. THREAD REINFORCJNG mgly MECHANISM FOR KNIT TING MACH INES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.26, I9I2- Patented May 2,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l1 v A; N. AMES. THREAD REINFORCING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

' APPLiCATION FILED SEPT. 26. m2.

Patented May 2, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 gniork aw Q9 A HIN- HHHH wifiessesk WW 4 0 v i knownftha =CllireaclReinforcingI Mechanismting-Machines,

. y machine being myeamm; 1

1,: Ae'riitii: Arrns, a I citizen offthe' UnitIedStateS, Sand residentoffFranklinjin the county of h/lerrunack ed certain .neivand usefiil Iinprovenients in for Kn.itof Whichthe following is a .f specificationri r This a invention relates to knitting ma: 1 chines;"especially of the. eiroular type, the i designed particularly for knittingfstoekings, z ltlh'mgh fdo not limit myself. 11 ill fatll fesbf nly invention, to

liosierfy eknitting niachinesw In the folloxvfing sdesonption, however, lshall l referfto stockings or. hosierygbeeause n such articles of, apparel ithere gfsniore occasion than in .[nnyhetlier art1ele,yfor jrernforelng the yarn 0 r a 1113 0 yed for knitting predeter q; ninedf portienjs of the fahriqJ-sueh as for high spliced hee -The presents ion of y nuornpplieatioirwhich be- Patent' No.1 1,052,877,. granted Feb- 11,1913, to \vhich potent reference M for description of sp eci'fiomean's eratiug the mechanism .clhinied herein. 1

.ftheheel imditoe, to fol-in a: double sole,

30 The partieifillar object-{of thepresent inven-' to provide Ia, jsiuiple and} reliable w twister mechanismfo'i gsupplyinga reinforc thy said patent. .VVhen the twister is not to ng thread to a inain thread the purpose l T. specification ofLetters Pcitent.

pplication is, in part, a coin j connect-ed at eHnE b-R mromme mncniilxi sivi on KNITTING-MACHINES.

Patented May 2,1916.

sents a transverse section near the gear housing; and showing the latter in elevation. 'Fig. 5 is a detail view of the and cooperating members shown in section. 5 ondp statemof Neiv' Hampshire, have invent cutter lever,

. Similar referencecharacters indicate the sameor sun lar parts in all the figures.

Two posts 10,11 are suitably supported,

. as'b'y a bracket, in themauner explained in my said pate11t,;the'upper ends of said posts a bracket 12 which, supports. the horizontal bedplate' 13 having having secured thereto an extension 1.4. tahly supports the prising circular A gear housing 15 rota: tubular twister 16 comthe travel ofthe thread. I

This applieation filed Sehtember i series of straight pins and having their 19. said shaft passing through a bearing aperture the rear wall of the gear hous mg, with sutlle ent freedom of movement,

however, to permit the shaft to be slightly "oscillated vertically as presently described.

The; rear end of the shaft 19 has a small friction disk 20 adapted to be engaged by a larger friction disk 21. at of a shaft 22 which is driven as explained be rotated there will he a slight space be; tween the periphery of the disk 20.end the upper face of disk 21, as presently described.

The shaft 22 may be understood at present as to be rotated by any suitable constant driver; 1 i i ,The rear end of the. shaft l9jpasgses through and is supported by a bearing sleeve 23 carried by an elbow lever fl mounted uponza pivot 25 and having e or provided with awe 27 having a toe 28 extending under the disk 21. The web .27

islformed with a. curved under edge 29, the

front end of said Web being beveled or in carried by pivoted at 33 to bracket 12 and having a spring arm ,26. The longer arni'of said lever is formed short arm 34. Pivotally. to the arm 34;" is a link 36 the upper end. I

lever 38(Fig. 3') pivoted at 39 to a collar.

.40 secured tofp'ost l1, and having its other end pivoted to a vertical rod 41 (Fig. 1)

the lower end of which is operated by pattern controlled mechanismsuch as illustrated in my said pate'nt. The rod -11 is actuated at the proper time so as to rock the lever 32. hen the pin 31 of the lever 32 is moved along the curvededge 29, no movement is imparted to the lever 2% which carries the bearing, for supporting the rear end of twister-actuating shaft 19.. At this time there is slight space between friction disks 20.- 21, and at the same time the toe 28 holds so thatthe said shaft 22 will not be rotated by its driving mechanism. lVhen thepin 31 7 moves to the left and reaches the incline 30, the lever 21 is free to moveso-that the bearing- 23 will permit the rear end of shaft 19 to descendf'and let the disk 20 contact with disk 21. .The toe 28, of course. at the same time permits disk 21 and .shaft 22 to drop and be driven. The left-hand edge of\ the longarm 32 ofjthe lever contacts withspring arm 26 of lever 2- and yieldingly fo-rcestho lever 2-1 in the direction to increase the friction between-disks20 and .21, and. at the same tiineinc rease the friction drive of shaft 22. totation 0t the. shaft 19 causes, of

- course, rotation of the twister 16 so that the t6 pivoted at .48 to the lever arm latterwill operate in the manner hereinafter described. 1 v 1 hen the lever 32 oscillates as described it also actuates .a. cutter and an inserter which will now be described. Rising from the bedplatel'ii'is a web bracket 42, the lat-f ter having attaching feet 43. (Fig 3). The web 42 is provided with a slot-44 along which slides a pin 45. (Figs. 1 and 2). One end of a link 4:6 is mounted on the pin 45, and between it and the side face of webs?) is a washer 47. The other end of the link It will now be understood that the pin i5'par- 7 takes of all movementsof the lever {arm 32'.

- 52, the

A slideplate 49 has slots 50 through which pins 51 passinto the side of web 42. The slide 49 carries a guide tube or inserter reinforcing thread 11/ as'isng through said tube to the twister. v The slide 49'also carries a brush 53, the par-pose of which. will be presently explained. A lug" 54: projecting downwardly from the'slide 49 v is held in contact-with the washer-'47 by meanest...awnin -s5 -so-that"the"sltde* t9 ""phitakes of all the movements of the lever arm 32 through the link connection thereof with the pin 4.5 and the washer 47.

The cutter lever 56 is loosely piyotedat 5'7 tothe bracket 42. and at its tree or front end has a cutter 58 adapted to codperate with a cutter block 59 mounted on the bed:

, of the cutter.

plate 13 so as to sever the reinforcing thread when the said lever-56 is swung downwardly to carry the reinforcing; thread against the cutter block .59. Thee-utter lever is actuated by the following nieansz-dts lower edge (Fig. 5) is formed with a straight edge 60 and a recess 61. "W hen the pin 15 reciprocates along the straight edge the cutter lever is held up,. but when said liiinreaches the recess (31 it engages the rear wall of said recess and positively actuates the cutter lever on its pivot 57 to cause the cutter 58 to cooperate with block 59 in severing the thread. The reinfhrcing] tl1read on its way to the tube passes over a plate 62 having preferably aflt'elt upper surface 63, said plate the disk 21 and its shaft 22 slightly raised descends asdescribed; it permits the pad (3-1 .to dropupon the reinforcingthread so as to hold it frictionallyiduring the operation The machine frame is provided with arms having guide eyes 68, 69 for the main and reinforcing threads 10 m respectively. The main thread as passes through a guide eye 70 in bracket-l2 and then through a guideeye 71 which is in fixed position withits deliveringend slightly inside of the twister .16,i so that'the i'nain thread can never become engaged by the fingers or springs of the twister.

Projecting from thearm onhraoltet which carries the guide eye. 71"is:.a guard pin 72, Y the. purpose of which 'isito coac-t. with the brush in causing the reiniorcing thread to be insertedjor' carried between two of the fingers of the twister when the slide 4:9 is

advanced. It is to be understood that when' said slide advances it mov esff lither to the left than shown in Fig. l, theslbts 50 in the slide49 permitting this extent of movement under the influence of lever 32.1 .VVhen the reinforcing thread is severed by the cutter, the portion of it which 'is beyond said cutter is, of course, drawn along with the main thread to' which it has been applied, while the end in the rear of the'cutter remains hanging down from the tube and in ,con-

53, the extreme end being, oi? course, in

' tact with the tips of the hristleslof the brush prorgimity to the block 59 wherein-was cut.'

When the slide 4:9 advances this depending or loose end of thread will be carried be-v tween two oi -the'fingers'otthetweeter, and. then, through the connections already described, the twister immediately begins to.

rotate andconnects the; reinloroinp, thread to the main thread. After this thettirning'of the operation is such that th e'jslide 49 1's treats to the position shown. -;in Fig. 1, and

rotation of the twister ceases becazuse'oii the pin 31 riding alonglthe bevel or incline 30 i to ,5 twister.

. that when and disengaging the driving elementsof the The timing of the operation is such the reinforcing thread is to be severed, the arm 32 swings to the right from the position shown in Fig. 1 so that "thev pm 4c5engages thefreces's 6,1 of the cutterlever and swingsthe cutter 58 down to sever I the thread, leaving the loose end of the re- 'upon' thelever 132 to inforcing thread hanging from tube 52 ready {tobe' inserted into the twister again when the pattern'mechanism shall again act v swing the latter. An upright 73 carried by extension 14 is providedtwith a guide eye 74 for the thread,:the said upright being provided with a Vshaped recess (Figs. 3 and 4), into which firecess upper end" of the take-up lever arm passes when lowered, -'under the influence of the 7 P g hreadl or r. A r described; a q i i ,r a k, threads'fand when permitted to do so bythe mechanism presently a From the takemp'arm or lever the main thread, andthe reinforcing thread when the latter ,is applied thereto, a i

passes down through a tubular shaft 76 to the knitting mechanism; The take-up lever arm 77, havinga' loop or guide at its outer end forthe thread, is {carried by anyoke 78 pivoted at 79 to a standard 8Q,rthe:two arms'of thelyoke a v V v arm 811,;hasa {beveled or; cam-shaped end bemgindi'catedra't Bland s2 in-Eigil'. The

which eng geeapin 83 projecting from a plnnger -lilve'rticallyi= movable in the stand- I i the tension on ,the yarn increases, will be? 4 t a pin83 willraise "ger 84' to descend lever arm 77 ard 80 and passes lever '77 depressed andthe' arm 81 acting on As the tension on the thread, eel-eases during knitting, the resulting up movement of the lever 77 results in permitting the plunagain on to the thread. In this way the tension on; the thread controlled is vautomaticalbiregulated. While knitting with reciprocating diction of the cam cylinder of the knitting machine, the thread from lever arni'77 is alternately lever arih to vibrateup anddown sons to take upfthe slack between said arnriand. the

has

ofthe cam cylinder;

the plunger is lowered, on to the thread toknitting point and to give slackasmay be required in the backfand forth movements While taking iip slack preventdever arm77 drawing the d from the. supply instead ofqtaking. the slack up from the oppositeldirectionr The arm 82 of the yoke engages a 'pinor tou 86 carried by a; bell-crank lever 87 pivoted at 88,the short arm of said bell-,crank lever having a rod 89 connected or to it. "Theirod 89 is actuated by patte'rmcontrolled mechanism described in cotiperating with a stationary [clamp block 85j The main thread w? over the block 85 and under plunger 84. As

the plunger 84 and relieve from the weight of said1plunger, thusallowing the supply to berelieved.

pin oi roll 86 thereof will ride along y movement .of the bell-crank lever 87 will be opposed by greater resistance, but the simultaneous reduction in the distance between increase in the resistance to the movement of lever 77 caused by'rod 89 and its connections. As the lever arm 77 rises and lever 87 moves in the opposite direction, the increase of the distance between said pin 86 and fulcrum 79 will likewise compensate for the decrease in the resistance to movement of lever 87 so as to maintain the effective force of such resistance. and of the lever arm 87 is of particular use because it exerts such a uniform tension upon the thread between guide eye 7 4 and tubular shaft 76 that there will be no liability of the end of the reinforcing thread which has just been applied being slid along the main thread as it is pulled through. the eye of the lever arm 77. If such a'sliding along were to occur it would produce a knot or bunch that might result in breaking the thread, or, if it did not break, in leaving a knot or bunch that would show in the fabric.

()wing tothefact that the twister has projectioirs whiiih extend rearwardly, or in the opposite direction from that of the travel ofthe t read, proper wrapping and rain forcing of the' thread around the main thread is insured before the reinforcing This action upon threadcan be drawn along by'the aclvancing main thread. The reinforcing thread is "severed at a point before it reaches the twister and is left in position where be either engaged by the twister 1fcannot the latter should rotate in either direct on, 1 or in such position as to be .sucked along by proximity of projecting fibers of the two threads. This arrangement avoids the necessity ofemploy'ihg clamping or other devices to hold the reinforcingthread in the twister long enough to be wrapped around the main 1 thread. A twister facing or opening forwardly will frequently let the reinforcing Y 'threadbe pulled along by the mainthread prematurely unless clamps orholding devices of some k nd are employed to prevent 1t.

As clearly shown in the drawings, one end of the twister is irregularly formed; that is,

one end is not smooth, but has projections 80 the pin or roll86 and the fulcrum or pivot lever arm 77 will'compensate for the I I re'ction, since no reinforcing thread isin it the reinforcing thread twister or close inforcing is not intended. By cutting OK" the reinforcing thread and letting its front Y end drop, said thread is removed from proxy "creased pull of lever i 1', he greatest.

of such character as to positively engage the reinforcing thread and wrap its-around the main yarn.

' descril-ied herein, it is essential that this in regular end of the projections, shall be the rear i is to he understood is meant the end toward the point of supply, or in other ,words, in a direction the reverse the feed, of the thread. The structure pro vides a twister, theentrance end of which is irregular-1vformed,lwhereby after the reinforcingthread-has been started around the main. thread, the travel of the main-thread keeps the reinforcing thread in engagement with the projections, or the irregular rear end of thetwister.

twister, or the end having I believe myself to he-the first to provide any. construction of twister whereby the travel of the main thread will hold therein forcing thread in engagement with projec- A, tions that-are adapted to twist the reinforc' ing thread around the main thread. Therefore .-in the-appended claims, I mean by the v term p1-o]ections to include anything that engage the reinforcing thread I will positively and wrap ,lt around the main thread.

13y locating the cutter inthe rear of the twister, I avoid leavingthread in the twister p as heretofore done.

Such leaving of the thread in the twister-is liable to let the reinforcing thread be applied at the wrong time unless the twister itself is stopped, or holding clamps or devices employed for the reinforcing thread.

to the main thread,'when reiinity to the main thread until'positively inserted ,oycarried to position to be d tlgaged by the twister and wrapped a sufficient numher of timesaround the mairlthread. There-r I 1nf0rc1ng1 be revolved in either difore thetwistermay when reinforcing is 'not intri-nded.

It will be understood of cnirse, that when the'dev'ai armor-"1s vents any lateral movement and holds the said arm" with the eye or ldop of thelatter 'At this time the pin-0r roll 86 of lever 8 is so close to the pivot y Y arm 77, although the resistance to the ,lift of the rod 89 is then "This mechanism for rotating the twister is suchfthat although the twister 'itself is intermittently rotated, the drive mechanisnr therefor isconstant. In the particular em F or the purposes which I have jtently cl1-iven,..bnt-tliere isa'. constant driver end, by which v I shaft 221s constantly driven or interm tof the direction of gaging the front end of the severed With my construction is never left in the 11' tlowrrri ait-die -icl Aleinforcmg mechanism for knitting", shank is in the V-notch 75, said V-notch pre 7 9 that there is no infor, said; shaft E22;

However, whether the a'ted. only the inertia of the immediate twister mechanism is to be overcome, and said twister and its immediate operating devices are o'f-such weight that their inertia is quickly overcome when the connections for driving 1 the same are made, and 'thetwister will soon stop rotating when said connections are broken.

It will also beobser'ved that the pin 45 which is reciproc'ated by the lever 32 constitutes a device which operates both the cutter and the means for actuating the devices for introducing the thread to'the twister.

I claim: c I v ,1. A reinforcing mechanism for knitting machines, comprising a twister having an irregular end, a cutter adjacent the irregu lar end of thetwister, and ea ns" for en 7 thread to facilitate introduction thereof t9 .the twister; c 2. A-reinforcing mechanism 'for knittin machines, comprising a twister provided with p'rojections extending in avdirection 0pposite to the direction of travel of the thread, a cutter: adjacent the prhjections of v the twister, and" a slide having-l a brush to engage the reinforcing thread. l

3. A reinforcing mechanism or knitting machines, comprising a rearwardly-facing twister, a slide having a tube for the re} r thread and mova-bletoward and from the vrear end ofthe twister, a brush 'd'slide, and acutter movable carried by $211 between the tube andthe twister; l

tween the tube candthetwister, and a clamp the cutter for holding the twister having its rear endirregular, a cutterin the rearofthetwister, and a take-up having means for keeping a uniform ten sion on the thread beyond the twister. 2 l

(5. A reinforcingmechanism for "kn tting" machines, comprisinga twister, a cutter in- 4 reinforcing mechanism for knitting -maclnnes, comprislng a rearwardly-facing means for a take-up arm, and controlling said take-up arm havlngmeans for preventing the arm fromexerting a pull upon the ting ofthe reinforcing thread upon the main 7. A reinforcing mechanism for knitting machines, having means for guidlng a p1urality of threads, ular rear endfor .ity of one means in g ging the thread atwister having an irregcarrying the free extremthread about another thread, and the rear of the twister, for enand ralityxof threads, a twister having an irregular rear end-for. carrying the free extremity fof f one thread about another thread,

" imeans in the rear of the twister for en gaging the thread and shifting it to position to be engaged by said projections and machines,

comprising a twister, a gnide eye thread to cause knot-u a slide having a brush,

shifting it to position tolbe engaged by said projections.

8. A reinforcing mechanism for knitting I machines; having means for guiding a-plu-t for a main thread in the rear of the twister, a stationary transverse pin below the twister, a cutter in the rear ofthe twister, and means movable below the twister and between it and said transverse-pin for carrying the thread into engagement with the twister.

10. A reinforcing mechanism for knitting machines, comprising a rearwardly-facing twister, a cutter in the rear of the twister,

means for reciproand from the rear a transverse guide eating said slide toward end of the twister, and pin below the brush.

11. A reinforcing mechanism for knitting machines, severing the reinforcing thread, an introducer for twister and a reciprocating member for op erating both the cutter and the introducer. n testimony whereof I have affixed my signature, inpresence of two witnesses.

- ARTHUR N. AMES.

1 Witnesses G. F. BROWN, PETER W. PEzzn'r'rI.

comprising a twister, a cutter for connecting the thread to the 

